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September 12, 2007

Providence offering 'reverse 911' for cell phone users

PROVIDENCE -- The city's emergency management/homeland security office has expanded its "reverse 911" system to alert cellphone users, Mayor David N. Cicilline's office announced today.

The Reverse 911 Community Notification System, carried out last year, lets public safety officials send a recorded message to residents about emergencies and tell them how to take protective action.

According to a news release, Providence is the state's first city to begin offering reverse-911 notification to cellphone users.

“This state-of-the-art technology gives us the ability to put life-saving information in the hands of our residents when seconds count," Cicilline said in the statement.

“In this technological age, many Providence residents do not own traditional residential telephones and rely on cellphones for daily use,” said Leo D. Messier, the city's director of emergency management and homeland security. “It is very important that we have the ability to reach out to all of our residents."

To register for the voluntary reverse-911 system for cellphones, go to www.providenceri.com or call the city's emergency management agency at (401) 228-8000.

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 11:44 AM | Permalink

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